ALL THE STEALTH COSPLAYS! (...Or not.)

Hi, guys! I have ALL THE STEALTH COSPLAYS for you today-it'll be a pretty long and pic-heavy post, but I hope that you enjoy seeing my spins on the outfits as much as I am enjoying putting them together and wearing them. 

First, a little more sci-fi, to match my Doctor Who post:

Star Trek TOS uniform!
Red fishnet shirt-Buffalo Exchange

Black tank-Forever21

Red and black lace skirt-Repeat Boutique

Galaxy-print leggings-Cosmic
Black Doc Marten-alikes-Wal-Mart

Here's the original dress:

Those dresses were so short, all the ladies on the show wore matching bloomers because they pretty much couldn't have moved without flashing someone otherwise! 

Here's the next one, a little more loose, but inspired by Cosette from Les Miserables:

Black and white empire waist dress-Buffalo Exchange
White tights-Wal-Mart

Ghillies-Arc

Here's the original dress-it's a lot more elaborate. Cosette gets a bad rap, but I actually quite like her. I am very excited to see the Les Mis movie when it comes out, as I am a huge musical dork and love all the actors in the movie!

So not as close as some others, but the dress looks 1830s-ish, and the color palette is the same. It is a stealth cosplay, after all! :D

The final one is a little more obscure, but I feel like a lot of you would love (or possibly already do!) Alexia Tabarotti from Gail Carriger's Soulless:

Goggles-Goodwill

Black tank-Wal-Mart
Black velvet corset-Buffalo Exchange
Purple taffeta skirt-Made by me
Black ruffled underskirt-Buffalo Exchange
Chunky black shoes-Goodwill


Her being a book character, I don't have as much material to draw from-but I loved the purple color scheme on the cover, and I decided to base the outfit on that. This really is one of my favorite books-Alexa Tabarotti is a strongly constructed character, being by turns stubborn, brave, prickly, and dryly witty. The whole series is fantastic-great action, very funny, wonderful characters, and a really well-done romance. I highly recommend them if you haven't read them.
I was originally just going to do one week of stealth cosplays, but I find myself liking them so much that I think I shall continue them for at least a little while longer. Stay tuned for more tomorrow! And thanks for your patience with my irregular posting schedule, lovelies-I appreciate you all, and am so grateful to you for reading my blog. Cheers! 

Wacktober-Stealth Cosplay #1

Hello, lovelies! I have had a ton of work and school, so I haven't been around much lately, but I want to continue trying out my theme months, and for this, one of our favorite darkly delightful months, I have decided to do "Wack-Tober", with things that are a little unusual-even for me. :) I've decided to start off with a series of stealth cosplays-that is, I know I'm dressed as a character, but only the very clever or perceptive people around me realize unless I tell them. Today's was a female version of the Tenth Doctor, and in fact could easily have been mistaken for a Stripetember entry, thanks to the pinstripes. Here's the original I was emulating:

And here's mine:

Black and white chalk-stripe jacket-Arc

Black tank-TJ Maxx

Black buckled pinstripe corset-Punk69

Black pinstripe skirt-Old Navy

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Black and white sneakers-Arc

These shoes are pretty much the closest thing I have to Converse. The 10th Doctor wore brown suits a lot, but he also wore navy and black once in a while, and the dynamic, dressy-yet-active combination of the suits with the sneakers makes me very happy. Not much else to say, except that secretly knowing you're dressed like a 900-year-old Time Lord does have a way of brightening up your day. :) 

Stripetember: Color Edition, And An Exciting Announcement!

Moving away from the B&W posts for a bit, I'd like to present COLOR! Yay! Shiny happy rainbowy gooey globs of colored stripey goodness ahoy:

Rainbow Dress-Made by me

Black blazer-Goodwill

Fishnets-Wal-Mart

Black satin heels-Recycle Boutique

I love this dress, but it is a bit bright, even for me! I also made it a couple years ago when I was not as accomplished a seamstress, so it's a little wonky in the bodice/sleeves. Solution? A simple black blazer on top of it! 

And now for today's outfit:

Black peasant blouse-Family Dollar

Black and purple stripe corset-Punk69

Black lace skirt-Goodwill

Black and purple stripe tights-TJ Maxx

Black wedges-Wal-Mart

At first I was worried that the horizontal and vertical purple stripes together might be Too Much Of A Good Thing, but I think there's enough solid black to break them up and let them compliment each other instead of clashing. Plus, IMO, you can never have too much black and purple!
And now, an exciting announcement: Back at the beginning of the month, I said I hoped to have a participation day where everyone would wear their finest stripes around the 20th. Well, the 20th came and went and I didn't have a chance to do it, so I thought: Why not the 26th? Two thirteens are twice as lucky after all! So here's the deal: On September 26th, I will post early in the morning, and I will leave comments open all day for people to link to their posts. At the end of the day, I'll collect everyone's posts and make a big post for all the blogs that participate! It will be very similar to (aka, I stole the idea from) the lovely SophistiqueNoir's Monthly Theme Days, something I have participated in in the past. I can't wait to see all your stripes in a couple day's time! Here's the image for your blog; if you do it, please use the image and link back to me. I can't wait! 

Striptember: Subtle Stripes Twofer, And World Hijab Day

Hi, all! So, a couple days ago I said I would be doing something a little different for the 5th. It turned out the 4th of September was actually World Hijab Day, but because I am a bit of a dodo, I thought it was yesterday. Oops! But even after realizing my mistake, I figured I would wear a headscarf to show my support nonetheless. World Hijab Day is important because it shows solidarity for Muslim women in places like France who must fight against laws that seek to bar them from wearing hijab as an expression of their faith. As someone who is very much in favor of people being able to wear what they want, and observe their religions (or lack thereof) how they choose to with no governmental interference, I'm very much in support of this.
World Hijab Day also gives women who have never worn hijab the chance to share the experience of Muslim women in wearing the hijab every day. From pins to slippage to funny looks and comments, it is a choice of attire that sets you apart from the mainstream-and I think that we in subcultures that express ourselves through clothing choice can certainly relate to all the attendant costs and benefits that come with it!
Because I am not Muslim myself I didn't feel comfortable donning full hijab (as it is a personal choice strongly linked with expression of Muslim faith) but I thought that a headscarf similar to those that more conservative Orthodox Christians wear would be an acceptable substitute. And of course, being the anal-retentive color matching person that I am, I had to coordinate it to my outfit!

Green dragon print scarf-Arc

Black cami-Ross

Black lace blouse-Arc

Multi-colored gypsy wrap skirt-Hippie store
Black cloth Mary Janes-Ross

See! The skirt has stripes in it. I AM SO CLEVER. I wish I could remember the store where I got it, but honestly all I remember was that they had bongs in the front for sale, and because I was in 10th grade and very naive, I thought they were just pretty blown glass and asked my mom if she could get me one. She almost died laughing.
And on-topic, wearing the scarf definitely gave me just a tiny bit of perspective into the difficulties of wearing hijab. It was very heavy and kept sliding off my hair, despite being put in place with hairpins. I was fiddling with and resetting it all day! I am in awe of the many women I see on my campus every day wearing hijab who look flawless and completely put together. If anyone's interested in reading more about hijab, my friend Larissa has an amazing blog called The Adventures of A Hijabi Waitress where she discusses it in a far more eloquent and informed manner than I could. And on a shallow note, her hijab coordinates are amazing. :) 

 And now for today's outfit, which was just subtle and stripey and not really religious or political at all. BUT FUN, I hope!

Black lace shrug-Love Culture
Black cami-Wal-Mart

Black pinstriped underbust corset-Punk69

Red miniskirt-Arc

Black leggings-Cosmic

Black ballet flats-Recycle Boutique

This was a fun outfit. The skirt actually has stripes too, though you can't see them in the picture that well because they're tone-on-tone. It's a cute skirt but I don't wear it that often on account of EXTREME SHORTNESS. But the leggings solved that problem-yay for butt coverage! One more day of subtle stripes, then it's on to...well, not necessarily BETTER, but definitely BRIGHTER things. ARE YOU EXCITED OR WHAT? 

Pin-up, Von Teese Style

Like a lot of Goth girls, I love (and look up to!) the lovely Dita Von Teese. She has such a lovely, feminine style with a large dash of dark modern whimsy, and I just adore it. In particular, I really admire this toile dress of hers.

I think it's just gorgeous; I love toile prints (more on that later this week) and the print on top of the fifties-inspired dress cut is just fantastic. So when I saw this great Shrine dress at Buffalo Exchange that reminded me strongly of this dress, I of course had to get it: 

Lace Shrug-Love Culture

Shrine print dress-Buffalo Exchange

Black underbust-Punk69

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Chunky black shoes-Repeat Boutique

This is one of Shrine's ballerina dresses, which retail for around $140 according to my research. So not too bad to get such an amazing piece for almost 90% off! There are two small stains on the skirt, but...oh well. :) I love the flirtiness of the cut and the boldness of the fabric. Like Dita's sexy toile dress, it just radiates contrast in the best possible way, which I love. So on Day 2 of my pin-up week, I pay homage to one of the coolest pin-up girls around. Thanks, Dita! 

Monthly Homework Assignment: Things I Can't Live Without

So the lovely Mary, formerly of Le Professeur Gothique and currently of The Dancing Maenad, gave us a homework assignment that I was actually really excited for-but it being summer, I nearly forgot about it! No posts for two weeks, then two in one day-wow, I am terribly organized, aren't I? But I had to do this assignment, because I think it tells you so much about a person-you can certainly tell a lot about me by mine!

Things You Can't Live Without

My foundation, powder, and mascara. If you ever read my comments on the lovely Lady Bethezda's blog, or GlumPlum's, you'll know I have a terrible envy of people who can actually do their eye makeup. I'm terrible with eyeliner and shadow, so unless I can have a friend do it for me I generally don't wear them. This leads many guys to say things like "I like girls like you who don't wear makeup." BLLLAAAAT! Wrong, my dear gents-I do wear makeup, just not NOTICEABLE makeup. Having been doing foundation since I was about 8 or 9 and started getting acne, I'm a regular pro by now. It's very, VERY rare to see me out and about without full concealer, foundation, and powder on-like, one of the only times I went without for more than one day when I was going out in public was in Fiji, because it was so darn hot it just melted off. Obscenely humid weather notwithstanding, I must have my makeup! I also generally use a brown mascara for everyday-it's not as dramatic as black, but it makes my lashes pop just a little more. I've used all kinds of foundations, but honestly I've found $4.95/bottle NYC Ivory matches my skin and wears better than a lot of $20+ Sephora brands. Powder varies as well-right now I like CoverGirl, but I've used all kinds as well. 

My solid black and black striped with buckles underbust corsets. I love all of my corsets, but these are the two I cannot live without. Easy to wear, go with all kinds of styles and pretty much everything in my wardrobe, and add a little va-va-voom to anything instantly. They're also very comfortable-probably because I've worn them so much that they are perfectly broken in to my body! 

Mary Jane shoes. Heeled, chunky, flat, spiked-if it has a strap and looks like a variation on something a little girl would wear to school, I probably own it! I do have a hard time finding well-fitting chunky ones, but I keep my eyes out every time I go thrifting. Definitely my favorite kind of shoe!

My rainbow of crinkly peasant skirts. I have a ton of these-this is just a small selection. I love them because they are so comfortable and easy to wear-like classy-looking sweatpants. Also, they are great by themselves on a hot summer day, or layered up can keep you warm on a cold winter one. You can modernize them with a t-shirt, or go all Ren Faire Princess with a peasant blouse and a corset. They're easy to bustle over each other with pins for a Victorian look. And because they are supposed to be crinkly, they travel really well. What more could you want in a skirt?

Stripey items! I have striped leggings, striped skirts, striped blouses, striped blazers, striped vests...pinstripes, wide stripes, black and white or brightly colored, I just love stripes! If you click the "stripes" tag here, you'll see more stripes than you can shake a Tim Burton movie at. And I have more striped fabric waiting to be made into items of clothing. This is one of my most stereotypically Goth loves, and I make no apologies for it. Life is too short to not cram all the stripes you can into it!

And now for the electronics, or non-clothing items. My parents got me this Lenovo K-1 Ideapad tablet last December, and already I can't imagine how I lived without it. It has a lot of fun games and functions almost like a full computer with its included detachable keyboard (great for taking notes when I don't want to lug out my heavy Macbook!), but its best function for me is definitely the Kindle app. I've read so many books on it! I can carry an entire library in my purse, and for a biblioholic like me, that's one of the best things ever. Plus, it's super sturdy-the strap on my bag broke as I was getting out of my dad's pickup shortly after I got it, and it fell out about five feet facedown onto pavement. Other than a couple of scrapes on the corners of the aluminum case, you'd never even know it happened! For someone as clumsy as me, non-fragile electronics are a must. :)

Last but certainly not least, I have my Zune. I've had it six years now-I got it my freshman year of HS, and it just keeps on ticking! About the only thing that's making me contemplate getting a new one is that it's not compatible with my Macbook and when I'm back to school I won't have a Windows-based computer to sync it with any more. It's 30 GB, and it was only $90! It's come with me to three continents and seven states now, been dropped too many times to count, jostled around in backpacks and purses, and taken on runs and hikes and it just. Keeps. Going.  I love to listen to music and audiobooks while I sew, and it certainly makes walking everywhere-whether in Denver or Welly-much more appealing! We'll see if the next one I get even comes close to it in longevity and sturdiness. Somehow, I have my doubts. :)

Also, as a brief note/PSA-I'm very, very privileged to be able to count lots of clothes, shoes, and electronics among the things I "can't live without." A lot of people in the world have to try and live without basic necessities like food, clothing, adequate housing, or protection from the threat of violence. If I may take a moment to promote one of my favorite charities, if you want to help bring necessities to those in need Women For Women International is a great charity that does a lot to help women and girls in poor or war-stricken areas, who generally get the short shrift when it comes to the distribution of charitable funds. You can find more information and give a few bucks if you have a little extra (I try to give a small amount from each paycheck, because every little bit helps and I am able to do so) at womenforwomen.org. 

The Gallery Serpentine Grand Return!

Hello, my duckies! Sorry for the long absence, but I was busy packing, going to Australia, flying home, and recovering from jet lag and sewing and doing many fabulous-yet-sad things as I said goodbye to NZ. BUT, I have a treat for you, based on my treat for myself. Since I knew I was going to be in Australia, I decided in early June to order a corset from Gallery Serpentine as a memento of my Study Abroad and a gift to myself. I picked it up on the 6th of July when I was in Sydney, and at $260 it is the most expensive piece of clothing I've ever owned-but so comfortable and flattering and beautiful that I find it worth every penny! It's a good thing I was already full up on luggage and limited on money, or I quite possibly would have bought the entire stock of the store, it was that beautiful! If you are ever in Sydney, you simply MUST go there. It's like Willy Wonka's factory for Goths and fans of beautiful clothing alike.

Black jersey dress-Ross

Ruby Dead Tech underbust-Gallery Serpentine

Fishnets-K-mart

Chunky black shoes-Repeat Boutique

Something great about this corset is that it's unique and distinctive, but also easy to dress up or down. I can't wait to put it into a full steampunk ensemble complete with ruffled blouse, top hat, and layers and layers of skirts-but it works just as well here as the centerpiece of an otherwise simple outfit. And this isn't the only exciting corset-based thing I have in the offing-coming soon, my how-to on how to make a new corset out of an old one that's too big. I'm glad to be back, lovelies, and can't wait to be blogging regularly again!

Mega-Super Post of Awesomesauce

I've been a terrible blogger lately. Don't really have an excuse except that I've been busy enjoying some of my last days in New Zealand, but I've still been recording my outfits and want to share them, so I thought I would do that today with pithy comments! Nine days until I'm back in the States, I can hardly believe it. Time has really flown! And speaking of things that fly, look at these neat tights:

(See what I did there? :P)

Black sparkly sheer blouse-Paper Bag Princess

Black cami (underneath)-Arc

Black sparkly net skirt-Salvation Army

Feather print tights-Evolve

Black boots-The Warehouse

Loved this outfit, and really enjoyed wearing it. The beads on the skirt and blouse livened up the solid black, and I'm a sucker for a good feather print.  In fact, judging by my outfits (and my irregular blogging), one might say I've been a little bird-brained lately:

Black peacock-print dress-Fiji specialty shop

Black boots-The Warehouse

This dress makes me preen like a peacock. Ok, ok, I'll stop with the bad puns. (For now.) It is super-comfy and very easy to wear yet elegant, though. Like a nightgown for public consumption. But my love of wacky prints continues unabated:

Black lace shirt-Salvation Army

Japanese doll-print skirt-Salvation Army

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Flower wedges-Recycle Boutique

Here's a close-up of the print on the skirt, because it is unbelievably adorable:

If that doesn't make you want to smile, you have no soul. And speaking of soullessness, here was my attempt at a sexy, black-clad creature of the night look:

Black ruffled shrug-Love Culture

Black cami-Arc

Black-black striped underbust corset-The Crypt

Red velvet/black mesh skirt-Recycle Boutique

Black patterned fishnets-The Warehouse

Black satin heels-H&H New Zealand Clothing

Ok, this wasn't really an attempt at vampire cosplay. It just came out looking like one. Oops. Or not. I HAVE NO REGRETS! I also have no regrets about this skirt:

Black pinstripe jacket-H&H New Zealand Clothing

Gargoyle necklace-Repeat Boutique

Black tank-Forever 21

Silver underbust corset-Punk69

Black handwarmers-Forever 21

Ruffled multi-colored skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Black and green striped socks-New Zealand Sock Company

Black flower wedges-Recycle Boutique

This skirt, man. I saw it, I was drawn to it, but then I was like "It's too loud." But I kept thinking about it, so I went back and bought it. It was gloriously spinny and fun and perfect to wear swing dancing. One of my friends told me "It reminds me of when we used to do parachute in elementary school!" I think that's one of the most unique comments I've ever gotten on my clothing. It made me smile! 

Stripes and Plaids

It's a good thing my friends are motivating me to do things like go out to get pizza and play bar trivia games, because otherwise all of my blog posts would be me in my pajamas. Not having class makes me reluctant to put on real clothes, it seems!

Black obsidian necklace-Inherited

Cropped shrug-Paper Bag Princess

Lacy cami-Ross

Black-stripe underbust buckled corset-The Crypt

Laced black fingerless gloves-Claire's

Ruffled black skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Tartan tights-Equip

Black wedge slides-Recycle Boutique

Yes, it is The Best Skirt In The Universe again. If nothing else, I'm glad I came to New Zealand just because it allowed me to get this skirt! (Ok, and the wonderful university experience, great new friends, and exciting scenic adventures I've had also make me glad. But the skirt's a nice bonus!) I like the tartan tights, even if they don't exactly lie straight on my legs. Overall, just a fun outfit for a fun night out doing bar trivia with my girls. I can't wait until I get back home and have more than one pair of dressy shoes, though-I feel like I'm wearing these shoes in 4 out of 5 posts nowadays. They're nice, and pretty comfortable, but darn if I'm not longing terribly for my heels and pumps.

This was a little more casual outfit, just for going out and about and shopping:

Playing card necklace-Gift from a friend

Black and white striped dress-Salvation Army

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Black boots-The Warehouse

There is just something about black and white horizontal stripes that feels terribly Parisian to me. I felt like an extra in a Godard film in this outfit! As opposed to black and white vertical stripes, which as any fool knows make one feel like an extra in a Tim Burton film. Simple outfit, but very comfortable. I've been trying not to buy any more clothes here because I'm fairly certain I'm going to have to ship at least one box home already, but I just couldn't resist this dress in all its wide-necked, full-skirted glory. What can I say? Hello, my name is Jamie and I'm addicted to clothes shopping. :)

Red and Black Week: The Finale

This is it, folks: The grand finale! I can't believe it's already been six days. I've been introduced to so many great blogs through this event, and gained a few new followers too. Thanks, guys! And welcome! I thought since this is the last day, I'd do a two-fer, day to night. I had this red and black "day" outfit from a couple weeks ago, when I was photographing my outfits but didn't have the chance to blog a lot of them:

Bat necklace-Asian Gifts

Black long-sleeved top-Salvation Army

Maroon underbust corset-Canal Boat Trading

Long red skirt-Recycle Boutique

Fishnet gloves-CoinMax

Black boots-The Warehouse

Pretty simple look-I like to think my boots and fishnet gloves give it a little "edge" but I like the elegant Victorian air of it!

And here we have the "night" outfit, for a friend's birthday party:

(Excuse the derpy expression on my face; I really don't know why I look like that! Also excuse my bangs; don't trim your bangs with safety scissors yourself because you got annoyed with them being in your eyes, kiddos.)

Caduceus necklace-Salvation Army

Red and black corset-Punk69

Black lace dress-Buffalo Exchange

Black and red stripe tights-Wal-Mart

Chunky Mary Janes-The Warehouse

A little less sedate and reserved, a little punk mixed with elegance. I feel like this is really "me"-a little whimsical and childlike mixed with a little elegant and sexy. Best of both worlds! Do any of the rest of you like to blend your favorite Goth looks for something that's uniquely you?

And many thanks to the amazing VictorianKitty for putting this whole thing together. We all love you and your awesome blog! 

Read and Black

I'm very sorry about the pun, you guys. I just can't ever pass up the chance to make one, no matter how groan-inducingly bad they are. Here, have the pretty Red and Black week logo to make you feel better:

And here's the actual outfit, which is only moderately pun-worthy:

Red headscarf-inherited

Playing card necklace-Gift from a friend

Black wrap dress-Recycle Boutique

Newsprint corset-Punk69

Black fingerless net gloves-Claire's

Black patterned fishnets-The Warehouse

Red fishnets-God only knows

Black slides-Recycle Boutique

I actually was wearing two pairs of fishnets, but for some reason the picture came out looking like I was wearing black fishnets over solid red tights. Oh well-take my word for it, it looked really cool! This dress is really lovely and super-comfortable-it's a black cotton jersey that's the simplest thing in the world to wear. I love wrap dresses, but it's hard to find one that's appropriately elegant and Gothic! I lucked out in this one, because it has little buttoned cuffs and puff sleeves that are vaguely Victorian-esque. 

I'm A Bit Maroon'ed...

After a couple days of punkier outfits, I was ready to return to my more elegant Victorian-Goth roots today. I decided to do it in style!

Black lace long-sleeved top-Salvation Army

Maroon underbust corset-Canal Boat Trading

Black velvet knee-length skirt-Arc

Lace tights-Random mall store

Black wedges-Recycle Boutique

I was honestly really disappointed in these tights-they were too big and kept sagging down around the ankles if I didn't pull them up every two seconds. Sadness! Lace tights and a lace top were probably not the best choice for a cold, rainy/windy day either... I may have been cold, but at least I looked good, though! I cannot get over the weirdness of having to wear warm clothes in June. My body says "June! It's time for warmies and sunshine, yay!" and then is confused when there's cold weather. At least I had my nice velvety skirt and lovely taffeta corset to keep me warm! I really like this corset-it's long-line and the color is a really dark, rich lovely red. Sometimes simplicity is best, and when you have a shimmering iridescent taffeta like the one this corset is made of, letting the fabric speak for itself works. 

Pretty Colors-Double Post

Hi, all! Sorry to have been absent for so long, but I've had two papers and a presentation over the past week and caught a bad cold, so I haven't had the time or the energy to blog. I have been recording my outfits faithfully, though-so I'll try and do double outfit posts for the next couple of days to make up for it. Because I like doing things out of chronological order (Memento and Kill Bill are two of my favorite films, after all), I'll start with my outfit from yesterday:

Heart necklace-Arc Thrift

Ruffled chiffon shrug-Paper Bag Princess

Black microfiber tank-Wal-Mart

Black corset-Punk69

Handwarmers-Claires

Pink skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Patterned fishnets-The Warehouse

Chunky Mary Janes-The Warehouse

Terribly girly, isn't it? I must admit, I felt quite Goth Barbie-in the best possible way! I told myself when I came to NZ that I could make it on black, white, and red for three months, but dang it, the colors just keep a sneakin' in. I can't resist 'em! This skirt is actually so much more awesome than in the photo-it is a vivid, hot Barbie pink with a shimmery over-layer and a taffeta underskirt. It rustles when I walk. Words can't express how happy it makes me! 

Today, I did color a little more subdued:

Sword pendant-Asian Gifts

Black lace blouse-DAV Thrift

Underbust corset-vest-Fusion Federation

Green satin dress-Recycle Boutique

Black lace handwarmers-Forever 21

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Round-toed wedges-Recycle Boutique

Far more subdued than yesterday, but still elegant and fun! Again, the color of the dress just didn't photograph as nicely; in real life it is a much richer soft olive than the weird blue-y green that's showing here. It's a little big, hence my wearing it with the corset-when I get home and have my sewing machine again, I'll take it in to fit perfectly. It's a really nice heavy satin, and cut on the bias, so it moves beautifully. I really like this style of dress: multiple panels and gores, fitted in the bodice and full through the skirt. Plus, it was $4.50 (the $4.50 rack at Recycle Boutique will be the death of me in overweight baggage fees when I fly home), so I figured it was totally worth it. I missed you guys, and it's good to be back-tune in tomorrow for another double post!

Avengers Assemble!

So, I'm putting the geek in Geeky Goth Girl right here. I went to see The Avengers tonight, and it was amazing. Fashion first, then rapturous fangasms!

Black long-sleeved top-Salvation Army

Black corset-Punk69

Belt-Salvation Army

Fishnet handwarmers-CoinMax

PVC leggings-Cosmic

Lace-up boots-Target

I probably shouldn't have photographed myself next to Scarlett Johansson, as I can't hope to compete with her gorgeousness, but she did such a good job in the movie, I had to pay tribute. So, I had super-super high expectations for this movie. I'm definitely more of a D.C. than a Marvel girl, but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate a first-rate movie no matter which company it comes from-and The Avengers is definitely first rate. I've enjoyed all the movies that lead up to it, particularly Thor and Captain America, but this one blew them out of the water. The acting was first-rate from all parties-Tom Hiddleston's Loki was chilling, Robert Downey Jr. had brilliantly snarky chemistry with pretty much everyone on screen (I sense a lot of Captain America/Iron Man slash fic in the offing), Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner were delectable together and separately, Chrises Evans and Hemsworth brought the right combination of earnestness and heroics, and Mark Ruffalo proved an admirable substitute for the absent Edward Norton. 

The action scenes were top-notch-having seen Joss's skill as a director on the relatively low-budget Serenity and his TV work, I always wondered what would happen if you gave him a lot of money, and the answer is awesomeness. From the opening sequence where Loki breaks into S.H.E.I.L.D headquarters and steals the Tessaract to the introductory scenes of all the characters to the battle sequences, The Avengers is full of amazing shots and sequences. As a film nerd, I was rather geeking out over the spectacular CG and gorgeously choreographed fight scenes. Being Joss Whedon-penned, the movie also had a lot of really funny moments, most of them courtesy of Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Hiddleston, but every actor brought it to the bantering dialogue that's part of Joss Whedon's signature style. A typical example:

Captain America: You're just a man in a suit. Take the suit away and what are you?

Iron Man: A billionaire genius playboy philanthropist.

There were several moments when the audience in the theater I was in was completely overcome with laughter-a lot more so than your typical superhero movie. Joss managed to strike just the right balance of pathos and humor, as he always does, and thus came away with a movie that was in turns funny, exciting, and touching. One of his strengths as a writer is the fractious family dynamic-the Scooby Gang on Buffy, the Angel Investigations team, the crew of Serenity, and the members of the Dollhouse all prove this admirably-and he brings these skills to play very well in The Avengers. They may disagree, they may not get each other-but when the chips are down, they'll fight for each other, and the Earth. And it's, as I've already said, awesome.

Plus, on the purely shallow side: You have Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, and Jeremy Renner all on screen being very pretty. In fact, my only complaint was that with that many gorgeous men, we only got one shirtless scene! I know Joss can do better with the fanservice. That aside, The Avengers is brilliant, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fast-paced adventure romps with great characters, brilliant villains, and lots of laughs. Geek on!

Corset-y Long-Skirt-Y Goodness, Two-For-One Edition

Sorry for my absence, I've been a busy bee lately! I didn't really have a specific theme in mind for this week, but by pure coincidence (and probably because the fall weather is finally showing its face here in Wellington and it's been chilly) my outfits yesterday and today both had a long skirt/corset in them, so I'm taking it and running:

Kimono-sleeved top-Paper Bag Princess

Red overbust corset-Punk69

Pleated chiffon skirt-Arc

Black boots-The Warehoue

Black arrow necklace-Arc

Black shrug-Paper Bag Princess

White tank top-Wal-Mart

Striped arm warmers-Artsmyths

Black corset-Punk69

Fishnet and satin skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Black boots-Ross

I've found that these make really good rainy-weather outfits-they look elegant and put together while allowing me to hide a multitude of tights and thermal leggings under them! I still can't get over the fact that May means I need to start dressing warmer-this reversed seasons thing is going to take me a while to get used to, that's for sure. And to think, when I go home (2 months and 5 days, time has flown!) I'll go from winter to dead summer...too strange. Good thing my vast wardrobe can accommodate all seasons with careful layering. :) Also, it's my Un-Birthday-6 months until the big 2-1! 

Insert Lame News/Print Pun Here

Yep, it's time for that awesomest of garments again...the newsprint corset! Since VictorianKitty made a special point of mentioning it in the comments on my last post, I decided to wear it today! I didn't actually have class today on account of it being ANZAC day (New Zealand's memorial day equivalent), but I figure, as long as I'm meeting friends to work on a group project and studying in the library for a paper due Friday, I might as well look fabulous doing it.

Black t-shirt-The Warehouse

Black halter vest-Fusion Federation

Newsprint Corset-Punk69

Black cotton gypsy skirt-Salvation Army

Patterned fishnets-Target

Black flats-Ross

I love this skirt a lot-it's super-full (probably 4 or 5 yards at the hem) and swishes around in a most appealing way when I walk. I wasn't sure about this outfit when I put it on, but seeing it in full, I like it-the corset and funky tights break up all the black and keep it from being too oppressive-looking! I get compliments on this corset every time I wear it; definitely one of my best and favorite purchases of forever. I miss the rest of my corsets (sitting back home some 8,000 miles away), but this one is far and away my favorite, desert-island-keeper of a corset, and I'm glad I brought it with me! 

A Steamy Return!

No, not that way! Apologies for my absence, best beloved readers, but I've spent the last 12 days traipsing around the South Island of New Zealand on my spring break, living out of a suitcase and a van and having limited access to both showers and the Internet-not exactly conditions highly conducive to blogging! But I'm back, and in honor of AnomalyCon back home (which I couldn't go to for obvious reasons, being 8,000 miles away and all) I decided to go with a steampunk-influenced theme for this week's outfits. Apologies for the cockeyed picture-my tripod broke just as I was setting up to take the picture and I need to get another one, so bear with me!

Heart necklace-Arc

Sheer black blouse-NZ Clothing Company

Black lace cami-Arc

Fingerless gloves-Claire's

Purple satin skirt-Fiji flea market

Black chiffon skirt-Salvation Army

Black buckled boots-Ross

You can't really see it in the pic, but this skirt is a lovely deep plum color. I came to NZ with only black, white, red and a bit of grey in my wardrobe, and told myself that I'd live with that, but darned if I don't keep finding pretty items of other colors that I just can't resist! And really, a Goth girl can never have enough purple in her wardrobe, so...

Anyway, that's today's outfit. Stay tuned for more steamy and Victorian-influenced goodness as the week progresses-I'm glad to be back! 

All My Cards On The Table

Or on my legs, as the case may be...I felt today was very much a black, white, and red kinda day. And this was the outfit that resulted:

Red lace blouse-Fiji flea market

Black and white polka-dot cami-Savers

Black vest corsetlet-Fusion Federation

Black ruffled skirt-Recycle Boutique

Playing card socks-Hot Topic

Black chunky Mary Janes-The Warehouse

I know I've worn this skirt a kajillion and two times in the past month, but I seriously love it more than words can express. It's subtly sexy (long in the back, but the folded-over front ruffle exposes more leg when I walk), comfortable, easy to wear, looks good, and adds an automatic steampunk/neo-Victorian touch to every outfit. When I saw it in the store I believe I ran over to it shouting "My precious! MY PRECIOUS! YOU WILL BE MINE!" Ok, nothing so dramatic, but I did snatch that puppy up pretty quick. About the only downside is that all those lovely pleated ruffles take about 20 minutes to iron every time I wear it and wash it...but I consider it time well-spent. 

Also, how fun are these socks? I would wear them a lot more often, except the Hot Topic sock designers  apparently used a drainpipe as the model for the leg, as they actually get SMALLER at the top and thus aren't terribly comfortable. Now I don't know about you, my lovelies, but my thighs are actually bigger than my calves, and thus ideally socks would be bigger at the top to accommodate that. But maybe I'm just a freak of nature, and most girls are going around with Bratz-doll toothpick legs. What do I know? :)

Two-For-One, Textural Edition

I didn't really know what to do for a theme this week, and then I realized that I have acquired some really cool clothes with really interesting textures and fabrics, so I'd do outfits focused on them this week:

Key necklace-Made by me

Cream and black lace dress-Suva flea market

Black corded tights-Wal-Mart

Black chunky Mary Janes-The Warehouse

Faux pearl necklace-Inherited

Black shrug-Rainbow

White tank top-Savers

Newsprint corset-Punk69

Black and white striped handwarmers-Claire's

Black fishnet over white satin skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Black boots-Target

The first dress, I love. It is short but not too short, playful, and it has pockets. Yay pockets! I also love the combination of cream and black lace. In the second outfit, the newsprint corset and the skirt are battling it out for my favorite item-the corset is an old favorite, but the skirt is a new acquisition. It was $20, which is more than I usually spend on one item, but it was SO. GORGEOUS. that I didn't even hesitate. The white satin lining is bias-cut, so it has a wonderful swinging fullness to it. I feel very much a punk princess in it, between the full, elegant cut and the fishnet outer layer. It's seriously amazing, and totally worth the extra money! Do any of you have a piece that cost a little more but you *had* to have?

100 Posts, A Style Retrospective

Hello, gentle readers! Do you guys realize we've been doing this crazy dance for 100 posts now? I can't believe we've made it this far; I don't know if I've ever had the attention span to commit to 100 of ANYTHING before now. My last blog went kaput after 32 posts, I have fifteen (conservatively) novels with just the first two chapters done, and more sewing projects than I care to admit sit lonely and forlorn in my attic sewing room with pins still in them-but here we are, 100 posts later, and I'm still blogging, baby!

I thought that as a treat (or not, depending on how many of you read because you think I'm an awesome and interesting person and how many just think I have pretty clothes and wish I would ramble less and show more of my closet), I would post a few photos of myself throughout the years, growing into my Goth-i-ness. From the time I was little, I've always had an odd dress sense-I think I may have mentioned the velvet catsuit and leopard-print outfits (of which, thankfully, no pictorial evidence exists) in previous posts, but I didn't really identify (or dress in a style identifiable) as Goth until the past couple of years. I don't know if I was ever really a baby-bat, but I was certainly a baby-SOMETHING! Without further ado, here's the first picture:

Sorry for the low quality, but this is from 2003, when I was in 6th grade, and my family had just gotten our first digital camera. Yes, I am holding my clarinet-it was a band concert! This dress was pretty fabulous-it was a hand-me-down from a friend, and was white with pink and blue flowers. I thought the ruffled off-the-shoulder neckline was the prettiest/most awesome thing EVER. Yeah...

This was also around sixth grade-amazingly enough, I totally still have this blouse. It's a peasant blouse with long, dagged sleeves and when I bought it at the age of 12, I wanted it because it made me feel pretty and princessy. 8 years (and thankfully considerable growth in the bust) later, it still does!

2004, the first day of 7th grade, with my older brother. This outfit was actually pretty punky/Goth-y in retrospect-I was wearing a black t-shirt with a glitter cat under the poncho (note the black and white stripes!) and the most fabulous shoes ever. They were high-heeled sneakers, and unfortunately I outgrew them the next year. But while I had them, I wore them to death. And, sorry for the poncho-but it was 2004, and they were EVERYWHERE.

Still in 7th grade, with one of my best friends. I LOVED this dress-it was brown jersey with silver glitter flowers, and super-comfortable. Alas, I lent it to a different friend who never returned it. But it was a good dress-and I used to wear a lot of brown, probably because Seventeen Magazine said "sandy blondes" should wear brown. 

Special dress-up clothes for a Battle of the Books in 8th grade. This dress was a lovely crinkled fabric, and I felt so mature and sophisticated in it! I actually had the cream-colored bejeweled shrug until about a year ago, when it finally fell apart. And I still like to wear cream and black together. 

The first day of school in 9th grade-you can definitely start to see the Goth-y influences here, with the black and pink shirt (which I still have as well!) and the black skirt! I used any special occasion as an excuse to wear a skirt, since for some reason a lot of the people at my high school disdained skirt-wearing, and I got made fun of enough that I didn't want to invite more criticism by deviating from the be-pants-ed norm without an excuse.

Me in my Star Trek dress, getting ready to wow my 10th grade speech class with my speech on the History of Science Fiction. This dress just had its final outing at StarFest last year, when the $3-a-yard shiny Wal-Mart fabric decided to disintegrate. I wore it with a corset, though:

Amazing what a difference 3 years makes!

Me on Clash Day for Spirit Week in 9th grade. Yes, I actually owned all these items of clothing. Heaven knows why. The weird blue shoes cost $2 at Ross, and I bought them precisely because they were intolerably ugly yet charming. I also really liked those pants, because they were quite whimsical, but they didn't get worn much because they were really hard to match. I loved Spirit Week, because it gave me an excuse to dress crazily and still blend in. Now I just dress crazily, no excuse needed!

Me with friends at my writing club party, the end of 9th grade. This is a good example of the kinds of outfits I typically wore my first two years in HS-jeans that would allow me to blend in with pretty or unusual tops that allowed me to make a (quiet) style statement. I kind of wish I still had that tank top-it had black tulips screen-printed on it and was quite pretty!

Again, me with my older brother on the first day of school sophomore year of high school. You can definitely see the Goth-y influence here-purple top, black skirt. I also still have this skirt, though I haven't worn it in ages. Must remedy that when I get home. However, excepting special occasions like this, I would just wear outfits like the one in the party pic. After I started going to school online and realized that what idiots said about my style didn't matter, I definitely had a change of style!

Junior year of HS at my cousin's wedding. This dress was SO fabulous, and I loved it. Unfortunately, I outgrew it-but I gave it to a good friend who gave it a good home. Black and red, satin and lace-yup, definitely seeing the Goth here! But I wasn't quite all the way there...

 Senior year of HS with my Knowledge Bowl team in New Orleans-I was more steampunk than Goth at the time, and you can see it in the outfit, with the brown shoes and newsboy cap. But I still have the vest (now dyed to navy blue from regular denim) and the fabulous feathered cami. 

Also senior year of HS, at a Christmas party my older brother had. I made this red and white striped dress because, well-stripes! I still have it, I just need to do some repairs because I made it very early in my sewing career, before I really knew how to sew to last. 

When I got up to college and started a job, and at last had money to buy things like corsets, my style took a definite turn for the Goth. Stage blacks for working a production were easy for me; I started phasing out the browns and pastels and bringing in more jewel tones. Finally, I ended up with what I have today: a predominately elegant/Victorian Goth look with a lot of whimsy and playfulness and a dash of punk thrown in for good measure. If you went back to that girl in the pictures above, and told her that one day this corset-clad, flowing-skirted young woman:

 And this intrepidly exploring, lace-dress/skull-hoodie-wearing lady:

Would be her...I don't know if she'd believe you. She was an insecure little girl, and then an awkward teenager, who secretly and desperately longed to wear pretty clothes, defied her peers to wear them on occasion, but still hid her light under the proverbial bushel-though the bushel in this case was pairs of jeans and t-shirts. Heck, even this girl, from my senior pictures:

Feels like an entirely different person than this one, in a set of photos my older brother took over Thanksgiving break 2011:

As I have grown, changed, and evolved as a person, so has my style. I think that in the pull of a corset string, the swoosh of a frilled skirt, the poetry of an elegant top, I have found myself and my self-confidence. I'm sure there have been missteps along the way, but I am so glad and grateful to have shared a small part of my fashion (and personal) journey with all of you. I have fifty-five followers, which is amazing, and I value each one. I have been inducted into a society of amazing women who blog about their fashion and style, and I feel blessed to be part of such a tight-knit and supportive Goth blogging community.

I want to offer special thanks to VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noir, who is always one of the first ones on any new blog, offering advice and encouragement (and mine was no exception); and whose monthly theme days, along with Le Profeseur Gothique's Monthly Homework Assignments, have done SO MUCH to bring the Goth blogging community together and introduce us all to each other's fabulous blogs. I can't express how much it means to me to have so many amazing people to share my love of darkly whimsical clothes, elaborate and elegant outfits, and all things Goth and glorious with. The little girl in the puffy-shouldered hand-me-down '80s dress above says thanks from the bottom of her weird-clothing-loving little heart, and would kill to have people to share her passions with. The young woman in the corsets and lacy dresses feels so lucky that she does. Thank you all for your friendship, support, and comments; and here's to 100 (or 500, or 1000) more posts together.

...Oh, and today's outfit:

Black long-sleeved blouse-NZ Clothing Co.

Red underbust corset-Canal Boat trading

Black chiffon layered skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Black flats-Ross

I like to think of this as the more refined version of the black velvet catsuit with a crimson scarf around the waist my fourth-grade self wore with such cheerful obliviousness to how truly awful it was. Except, you know, nicer looking. See you all tomorrow, and if you've stuck with me to the end of this epically long, fairly self-centered post, than I love you forever. *hugs*